WASHINGTON — The Federal Bureau of Investigations has launched a new recruitment campaign to bring in tech experts who will become “cyber special agents.”
The agency recently posted a job listing describing the job, which will include extensive cyber crime investigations. The FBI is looking for experts with backgrounds in computer programming, malware analysis, digital forensics and even ethical hacking — the hiring of an employee who is tasked with attempting to break into a computer system to test its security on behalf of its owners.
#FBI #Cyber Special Agent applications now open. Join us in defeating cyber crime & attacks. http://t.co/e0bwYmf5LR pic.twitter.com/hC3xVoyB9H
— FBI (@FBI) December 22, 2014
“One thing that no one else can offer is the mission and the camaraderie and the teamwork the FBI brings to the table,” Robert Anderson Jr., executive assistant director for the Bureau’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, said in the FBI’s news release. “Cyber agents will be integrated into all the different violations that we work. So whether it’s a counterterrorism or counterintelligence investigation, they could be the lead agent in the case.”
In its release, the FBI used the example of bank robbery investigations to depict how the role of a special agent has shifted.
Traditionally, a team of agents responding to an armed bank robbery would cordon off a crime scene, interview witnesses, and collect evidence, such as fingerprints and security video. However, if the money was stolen through a cyber intrusion into the bank’s holdings, the approach would be very different: a cyber agent would request firewall logs and forensic copies of hard drives, in addition to interviews.
The FBI also released a recruitment video introducing its mission and goals.
The push for new hires with advanced cyber skills comes in the wake of an attack on Sony Pictures’ computer systems, in which emails and data were leaked. The hacking eventually escalated to threats against theaters planning to show “The Interview,” prompting Sony to cancel the release of the film.
If you want to work for the FBI, simply being a tech expert won’t quite cut it. Cyber special agent candidates will have to pass the agency’s rigorous background check and fitness test, and must be at least 23 years old but no older than 37. The agency also posted an extensive list of backgrounds and certifications it is looking for.
The job listing is open until Jan. 20.
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